VANCOUVER, British Columbia — As uplifting as a 2-1 overtime victory on Wednesday night over the Calgary Flames might have been, coach Todd Richards said the true test of the Blue Jackets’ mettle will come tonight against the Vancouver Canucks. And on Monday at Toronto. And then, two days later against Nashville. And on and on for the rest of the season.

Richards has called the Blue Jackets a “Jekyll and Hyde team” and acknowledged that he doesn’t know what to expect from night to night, or even from period to period.

“We’re trying to get the guys to recognize what we need to do, how we need to play, how we’re going to be successful,” Richards said. “I think they know. They know how we have to play. But it’s going from what we know to actually doing it on a consistent basis. And I want to see it now become part of our makeup, what you expect to see from us every night.”

Richards tore into his team after a 7-0 loss at Edmonton on Tuesday night, then had a heart-to-heart talk with the players on Wednesday before the morning skate. The Blue Jackets skated hard that night, forechecked the Flames into turnovers and played with a cohesion that has been seen only intermittently this season.

“I didn’t make big changes to the lineup because when you challenge a group like that — we questioned their character, really — you want to give the guys an opportunity to answer those questions and respond,” Richards said. “For me, it was the first shift. I could tell we were ready to play on the first shift.”

The Blue Jackets, with two games left on a five-game trip, are 3-1-3 in their past seven games. They entered play last night only two points out of third place and a playoff spot in the Metropolitan Division.

The expected return of left wing Matt Calvert should help. He has been out since Oct. 10 after having abdominal surgery.

“We all believe, we all know we can play the way we did (on Wednesday),” center Ryan Johansen said. “It’s just a matter of coming together and being ready for puck drop. If you look at it, we’re 2-1-0 on this road trip going into Vancouver, feeling good about our game. I know we can play this game. It’s just about going out and executing it.”

Penalty-free

The Blue Jackets played a road game without taking any penalties for the first time on Wednesday. They had taken only one minor penalty in eight of 485 road games dating to 2000.

“That’s just a really good indication of the kind of game we played,” Richards said. “We’ve had a lot of games on the schedule here lately, and a lot of travel, and to be that disciplined says something. And we even drew some penalties, too.”

Dubinsky hurting

Center Brandon Dubinsky missed his first game of the season because of a bruised foot. The Blue Jackets were off yesterday in Vancouver, but Dubinsky was expected at the arena for treatment.

It will be determined at the morning skate if he can play tonight.

Slumping Canucks

Since starting 11-5-2, the Canucks have lost five straight (0-3-2) and totaled only six goals during the slide. Coach John Tortorella has placed the Sedin twins on different lines, scratched winger David Booth and moved two-way center Ryan Kesler to right wing. Tortorella fumed after a 3-2 shootout loss to Florida on Tuesday.

“Easily our worst game of the year; we didn’t deserve a point,” he said. “It’s a lack of respect, and we have no business (showing) a lack of respect to any hockey team.”

Slap shots

All three Jackets-Canucks games last season went beyond regulation. The Canucks won two shootouts and the Blue Jackets won in overtime. … The Blue Jackets have lost six straight at Vancouver. … Former Ohio State player Zac Dalpe is expected to be a healthy scratch for the Canucks. … On a day off in

Vancouver yesterday, several Blue Jackets players and staff took a tour of the headquarters of video-game maker EA Sports.

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